Category Archives: Main Dishes

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As you can see the full title of this recipe from the Australian Meat and Live-Stock Corporation is ’24 minute Speedy Mexican Lamb’, a bit long I thought so I’ve shortened it. The good thing is that it’s quick to make. I think the recipe card was put out by the Corporation in the late 1980s, whenever it was, Mum and I both seem to have collected quite a few from our butchers’ counters.

This isn’t a dish for my family as they don’t like recipes that have a meat and fruit combination, which is a shame as I think it would be worth trying. The chilli kick in the base and the coconut in the topping certainly add a lot of interest.

For some reason I always think of pot roasts as being American, but this recipe published in the 70s by the Australian Meat Board would seem to disprove that idea. I’ve never made a pot roast and since I found this recipe I’ve meaning to buy a piece of beef to give it a go. It’s just one of the many ‘treasures’ that Mum’s recipe drawer has uncovered and which I’m yet to cook.

I’ve already posted a recipe for Pumped Leg of Lamb, but instead of boiling the meat this recipe bakes it in dough and then coats it with a marmalade glaze. That makes it a bit more work, but the result could be quite good. Although the original recipe suggests either mutton or lamb, pork would also work very well.

I think this recipe, published by the Women’ Weekly in 1974, shows how differently we buy meat these days – no need to ask the butcher to remove the bones, its already done for you now. That’s great, but I don’t like the way its wrapped in netting. I find that it sticks to the crackling and is hard to get off. Laying the meat out, stuffing it and then tying it with cooking string like this recipe suggests is a much better idea. I’ve included the apple sauce recipe although it’s not like Mum’s version. She left out the cloves and lemon and always put a knob of butter in after she’d pureed it.

When I read this recipe my first thought was to use smoked cod, but of course that’s only one type of smoked fish. You could also use smoked trout or smoked salmon, really whichever you like best. Served with a salad it would make a great summer dish.

I confess to liking salmon, whether it’s smoked, baked, grill or even tinned, so that’s probably why I really like this salmon pate. You need to use red salmon to get a good flavour, that makes it a little more expensive, but it does make a good amount. As it says it’s quick, easy to make and everyone seems to like it. Also, leftovers are great on toast this next morning!!!